Obstacle discrimination device for vehicle

Abstract

An obstacle discrimination device for a vehicle has an upper bumper absorber, a lower bumper absorber, a load detection unit and a control unit for sort-discriminating an obstacle based on a load detected by the load detection unit. The upper bumper absorber is connected with side members of the vehicle through the load detection unit, while the lower bumper absorber is connected with the side members without through the load detection unit. Thus, the difference between the detected load in the case of the collision with a human and that in the case of the collision with an object fixed on the ground becomes large. Accordingly, the human can be satisfactorily discriminated from the object fixed on the ground.

1 . An obstacle discrimination device for a vehicle, the obstacle discrimination device comprising: 
 an upper bumper absorber which is arranged at an upper portion in a bumper of the vehicle to absorb collision energy;    a lower bumper absorber which is arranged at a lower portion in the bumper to absorb collision energy;    a load detection unit for detecting a load exerted to the vehicle due to a collision between an obstacle and the bumper; and    a control unit for sort-discriminating the obstacle based on the load detected by the load detection unit, wherein:    the upper bumper absorber is connected with a first support unit of the vehicle through the load detection unit; and    the lower bumper absorber is connected with one of the first support unit and a second support unit of the vehicle without through the load detection unit, the second support unit being different from the first support unit.    
   
   
       2 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first support unit is constructed of two side members of the vehicle, the side members being respectively arranged at a left portion and a right portion of the vehicle and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; and    the lower bumper absorber is connected with the first support unit.    
   
   
       3 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first support unit is constructed of two side members of the vehicle, the side members being respectively arranged at a left portion and a right portion of the vehicle and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; and    the lower bumper absorber is connected with the second support unit, which is constructed of a radiator support member for supporting a radiator of the vehicle.    
   
   
       4 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the lower bumper absorber is arranged at a vehicle front side of the upper bumper absorber.  
   
   
       5 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the load detection unit is constructed of a plurality of load sensors.  
   
   
       6 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 5 , wherein the load sensor is a strain-typed load sensor.  
   
   
       7 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 the strain-typed load sensor is arranged between a rear end surface of a bumper reinforce member of the vehicle and a front end surface of the first support unit, the bumper reinforce member being disposed at the upper portion in the bumper and positioned at a vehicle rear side of the upper bumper absorber.    
   
   
       8 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the load detection unit is constructed of a plurality of mat-typed pressure-sensitive sensors, each of which has a plurality of sensor cells.  
   
   
       9 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 8 , wherein the mat-typed pressure-sensitive sensor is arranged between a front end surface of a bumper reinforce member of the vehicle and a rear end surface of the upper bumper absorber, the bumper reinforce member being disposed at the upper portion in the bumper and positioned at a vehicle rear side of the upper bumper absorber.  
   
   
       10 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a vehicle velocity detection unit for detecting a velocity of the vehicle, wherein    the control unit sort-discriminates the obstacle colliding with the bumper based on a mass of the obstacle, the mass being calculated according to the load detected by the load detection unit and the vehicle velocity detected by the vehicle velocity detection unit.    
   
   
       11 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle velocity detection unit is constructed of at least one velocity sensor.  
   
   
       12 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the control unit actuates a pedestrian protection device of the vehicle, when it is determined that the obstacle colliding with the vehicle is a pedestrian.    
   
   
       13 . The obstacle discrimination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is a signal process circuit.